Improvement in alphabet boards and blocks



n. w. C.-TAYLOR.

ALPHABET BOARD AND BLOCKS.

No.171,884.-. Patented Jan. 4,1876.

Jim 7": j W oseuwmvtgw flaw 47 N.PETF.R5. PHOTO UTHOGRAFHER, WASHINGTON, D. C.

UNITED ST T s-F PATENT OFFEGEZ DEWITT o. TAYLOR, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT-IN 'ALPHABET BOARDS AND stocks.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 1 7 1,884, dated January 1876; application fil d 4 October 11, 11:15. I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DE WITT'CLINTON TAYLOR, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings, in the State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Alphabet Block and Board, of which the following is a specification:

Figures 1 and 2 are face views of my improved alphabet-block. Fig. 3 is a vertical section thereof. Figs. 4 and 5 are face views of my improved alphabet-board. Fig. 6 is a vertical section of Fig. 4, and Fig. 7 a vertical section of Fig. 5.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

This invention relates to a new construction of sectional alphabet-block to be displayed on a black-board or other board, and also to a new construction of board for sustaining alphabet-blocks. It consists, first, in making the letter-blocks sectional, with upper and lower projecting ribs; and, secondly, in providing a board with parallel strings or wires, by which the blocks or letters are held in position, all as hereinafter more fully described.

The letter A in the drawing represents a blackboard or alphabet-board of my invention. The same is made of wood or other suitable material, of suitable size, and, preferably, of rectangular form, and has, by preference, projecting ribs 0. 60 along its upright sides. I), b, and b are a series of strings or wires stretched across the face of the board A and bearing on the ribs a a, so that they will be at a distance from the face of the board. These strings or wires are arranged in horizontal direction and parallel to each other, as shown. If the ribs a a are not used the ends of every such string may be fastened to pins that project from the face of the board, or otherwise so attached that a space will be left between the face of the board and each string or wire, as in Figs. 6 and 7. If the board is also made at its lower portion, and at suitable intermediate portions, with one or more projecting shoulders or ledges, d, on which the lower ends of the letter-blocks B B can be supported,'as in Figs. 5 and 7, the strings or or wires can also be used to support the letterblocks B, that are made at the back with inclined supporting-edges e, as shown on the upper letter in Figs. 4 and 6; and ifthe ledges or shoulders 01 are not used on the board, then, and in that case, the strings alone will suffice to properly support the blocks. Such blocks B, that have inclined supportin gedges 0 formed at the back, can be suspended by such inclined supporting-edges from one of the strings or wires, and will be held in a straight position by bearing with their backs against another lower string or wire, as shown in Figs. 4 and 6, or may have a backwardlyprojecting lip, f, as on the upper letter B in Figs. '5 and 7, in which case they need .not bear against a second lower string or wire, since the lip f will reach to the face of the board A. If blocks having square or beveled lower edges are to be supported against the board, having nothing but strings or wires string or wire b, so that it will be nearer to the blackboard than the upper retaining string or wire 12, which will come in contact with the face of the block, as clearly shown on the lower letter in Figs. 4 and 6. I thus produce a board much cheaper and simpler than any heretofore devised, and one well adapted for in their desired places, allowing at the same time every letter-block to be independently removable.

As to the letter-blocks themselves, my invention consists in making every such block in two parts in the manner shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the back part 9 being the frame of the block, and the face part h being the letterbearing part thereof. The face part his, by preference, made of paper, with the letter or letters printed or painted thereon, and can be removed from, and applied to,- the face of the frame part g, being slid between two horizonat the 'upper and lower ends of the frame part g, and project from the face thereof, as shown. The upper rib i will, besides serving to retain the letter part 9 in proper position, serve the additional purpose of a handle for lifting the block, and may also serve as a support for the block on one of the strings or for a support, [attach every lower supporting holding all the various styles of letter-blocks tal ribs, 0' and j, that are respectively formed wires b of thebla-ckboard. The face sect-ion h ofeach block can be withdrawn sidewise from between the ribs '13 j, and inserted in like manner. Blocks thus made in sections can be made to change the characters which they represent by merely displacing the letterbearing face portions h thereof, and applying others in their stead, and with a small quantity of the more expensive-frame portions 9 of these letter-blocks I can display a larger quantity and variety of letters.

I claim as my invention 1. The blackboard or alphabet-board A, constructed with the projecting ribs a a, and with two or more parallel strings or wires, 11 b, stretched across the face of the board and Ever the projecting rib, substantially as speciec y 2. In a blackboard or other board, the coinbination of the'rib d with the string 1), said rib and string serving to hold one row of indepenGently-removable alphabet-blocks, substantially as specified.

3. The blackboard or alphabetboard A, having the parallel strings or wires b and b stretched across its face, the string or wire b being arranged nearer to said face than the string or wire b, substantially as described.

4. In combination, with the block-frame g i j of an alphabet-block, the removable letterblock h, both constructed and arranged to operate substantially as described.

The foregoing description of my invention signed by me this 7th day of October, 1875.

DE WITT U. TAYLOR. Witnesses:

ERNEST O.-WEBB, O. 'A. WEIDNER. 

